Water security and the pursuit of food,energy, and earth systems resilience

ABSTRACT

This article addresses the emergence and interrelation of food, energy, and water security in terms of resource use and the ensuing societal and environmental outcomes. For decades, food security and energy security have been well-accepted, operational concepts. Water security is the latest entrant, yet the implications of water insecurity for food, energy and earth systems resilience have not been adequately considered. This article examines how and why this is so – particularly with growing water scarcity and insecurity that may compete with energy and food security – and emphasizes the critical need to link water-energy-food nexus approaches to earth systems resilience.     

Comparative study of release kinetics of pheromone from polymer dispensers

Polymer membranes loaded with agrochemicals are used as controlled release monolithic dispensers in pest control. Plasticized poly(vinyl chloride) dispensers loaded with a fixed concentration of gossyplure pheromone were prepared by a solution-casting method. A solvent trap system was designed and fabricated to collect the gossyplure released from the dispenser at desired intervals of time. The release of pheromone was estimated quantitatively by using high-performance liquid chromatography. The rate of release is found to be slightly higher in the first 12 h and then it became steady, obeying Fick's law of diffusion. The diffusion coefficient of the pheromone is observed to be directly proportional to the concentration of the plasticizer in the dispenser. Simultaneously, the rate of release of pheromone from the dispenser was also determined by a gravimetric desorption method. The diffusion coefficient data obtained from the gravimetric desorption method was found to be fairly comparable to that obtained from high-performance liquid chromatographic estimation. The results indicate the authenticity and reliability of the gravimetric desorption method. The dispensers were found to release gossyplure at reasonably controlled rates even after 30 days. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 64: 1373–1380, 1997     

Flexible cold cathode with ultralow threshold field designed through wet chemical route

A flexible cold cathode based on a uniform array of ZnO nanowires over carbon fabrics was designed via a simple wet chemical route. The structural parameters of the nanowires (i.e. length, diameter) as well as their arrangement over the carbon fibers were tailored by adjusting nutrient solution composition and growth duration. The optimized arrays of ZnO nanowires exhibit excellent electron emission performance with ultralow turn-on as well as threshold fields of 0.27 and 0.56 V μm(-1). This threshold field value is the lowest compared to any of the previous zinc-oxide-based cold cathodes realized through either chemical or vapor phase processes. In addition, the current density can reach an exceptionally high value of ～ 11 mA cm(-2) at an applied electric field of only 0.8 V μm(-1). Flexible electronic devices based on a field emitter cold cathode may thus be realized through chemical processing at low budget but having high efficiency.     

Analysis of dipyridine dipyrrole based molecules for solar cell application using computational approach

Journal of Computational Electronics - In this work, six dipyridine dipyrrole (DPDP) derivatives are reported as π-conjugated, electron donor molecules used in BHJ solar cells. Density...     

Preparation and characterization of core‐shell nanoparticles containing poly(chlorotrifluoroethylene‐co‐ethylvinylether) as core

Core shell latex particles with a glassy core and a low T_g polymeric shell are usually preferred. More so, the glassy core happens to be a fluoropolymer with a shell polymer that helps in processability. We describe here the preparation and characterization of core shell nanoparticles consisting of poly(chlorotrifluoroethylene‐co‐ethylvinylether) as core encapsulated in poly(styrene‐acrylate) copolymer shell using seeded emulsion polymerization method under kinetically controlled monomer starved conditions. Properties of the emulsion using surfactants (fluoro/conventional) and surfactant free conditions were investigated. Average size (100 nm), spherical shape and core–shell morphology of the latex particles was confirmed by dynamic light scattering and transmission electron microscopy. Absence of C? F and C? Cl peaks in X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy proves that cores are completely covered. Polymerization in the presence of fluorocarbon surfactant was found to give optimum features like narrow size distribution, good shell deposition and no traces of agglomeration. Films of core shell latex particles exhibited improved transparency and enhanced water contact angles thus making them suitable for applications in various fields including coatings. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2011     

Fermentation Dynamics During Production of Bhaati Jaanr,a Traditional Fermented Rice Beverage of the Eastern Himalayas

Bhaati jaanr is an inexpensive high calorie mild-alcoholic beverage prepared from steamed glutinous rice, consumed as a staple food beverage in the Eastern Himalayan regions of Nepal, India and Bhutan. In this paper, fermentation dynamics including growth kinetics and physico-chemical changes during fermentation of bhaati jaanr were studied. The population of filamentous moulds declined significantly (P < 0.05) each day and finally disappeared after the 5^th day. The load of yeasts increased significantly (P < 0.05) from 10⁵ cfu/g to 10⁸ cfu g^?1 within two days. Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) increased significantly (P < 0.05) from 10⁶ cfu g^?1 to 10⁷ cfu g^?1 in the first day and decreased significantly (P < 0.05) to 10⁵ cfu/g at the end of the fermentation. The pH decreased and acidity increased during fermentation. The alcohol content increased significantly (P < 0.05) up to 10% on the tenth day. The reducing sugar content increased significantly (P < 0.05) until the third day and then decreased, followed by a decrease in total sugar content. Maximum activities of saccharification and liquefaction of rice were observed on the third day of fermentation. It was revealed that Saccharomycopsis fibuligera and Rhizopus spp. play important roles in the saccharification process of rice in bhaati jaanr fermentation. The mean pH, acidity, moisture and alcohol content of the product were 3.5%, 0.24%, 83.4% and 5.9%, respectively.     

Photonic and omnidirectional band gap engineering in stack of exponential graded index material and negative index material

We have investigated the photonic band gaps (PBG) and omnidirectional band gaps in one-dimensional photonic crystals made up of alternate layer of exponential graded index material and negative index material. We have considered the influence of material properties, geometrical parameters and material composition on the PBG and omnidirectional band gap. Results show that the parameters of exponential graded index material and negative index material can change the photonic and omnidirectional band structures remarkably. Number and bandwidth of PBG increases with increasing the negative index material layer thicknesses while thicknesses of graded index layer only have an effect on the bandwidth of PBGs. The bandwidth of PBG also depends on grading profile parameter of exponential graded index layers and bandwidth can be tuned with increase the value of grading profile parameter. This work can facilitate the design of filters and reflectors, and provide the basic understanding of the influence of graded index materials and metamaterials on the PBG properties.     

Omnidirectional Reflectance of Superconductor-Dielectric Photonic Crystal in THz Frequency Range

Journal of Superconductivity and Novel Magnetism - In this paper, we analyze the omnidirectional reflection characteristics of a superconductor photonic crystal for TE and TM modes, by using the...     

Role of the Pangolin in Origin of SARS-CoV-2: An Evolutionary Perspective

After the recent emergence of SARS-CoV-2 infection, unanswered questions remain related to its evolutionary history, path of transmission or divergence and role of recombination. There is emerging evidence on amino acid substitutions occurring in key residues of the receptor-binding domain of the spike glycoprotein in coronavirus isolates from bat and pangolins. In this article, we summarize our current knowledge on the origin of SARS-CoV-2. We also analyze the host ACE2-interacting residues of the receptor-binding domain of spike glycoprotein in SARS-CoV-2 isolates from bats, and compare it to pangolin SARS-CoV-2 isolates collected from Guangdong province (GD Pangolin-CoV) and Guangxi autonomous regions (GX Pangolin-CoV) of South China. Based on our comparative analysis, we support the view that the Guangdong Pangolins are the intermediate hosts that adapted the SARS-CoV-2 and represented a significant evolutionary link in the path of transmission of SARS-CoV-2 virus. We also discuss the role of intermediate hosts in the origin of Omicron.     

Effects of fenvalerate on the development of olfactory perception in a beetle

Low doses of fenvalerate (a Type II pyrethroid) were applied to the beetle Tenebrio molitor at pupation, to ascertain its effects on the developing olfactory system. Doses of fenvalerate that prevent the formation of glomeruli in the primary olfactory neuropil (antennal lobes) also inhibit olfactory orientation behavior for different odors, despite the fact that sensory neurons developed responses to these odors. Even when lower amounts of fenvalerate that allowed glomeruli to develop were applied to pupae, the olfactory behavior was affected. Therefore, the formation of glomerular structures within the antennal lobe is not sufficient to establish olfactory behavior. A possible reason for this developmental effect of fenvalerate is a change in the odotopic arrangement of sensory axons within the glomeruli.